“Change is scary. Fear makes us angry.”
“Yeah. I guess.” He’s quiet for several seconds, then he exhales and says, “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in love with you. You had to know that, right?”
I look down at his chest. “You always played it off like a joke, but . . . I suspected. You don’t know how many times I wished I was meant for you.”
“But you weren’t. And for a long time, it didn’t matter—what we had was enough for me. That’s why I dated girls I knew wouldn’t last. Being emotionally unavailable didn’t matter when no one was in it for the long haul. But then . . .”
“Angel came along.”
“When I first saw pictures of her, it was lust at first sight. But I wasn’t prepared for how she made me feel when we actually met. It was like . . . God, how do I even describe it?”
“Like there was a stranger standing in front of you who felt like home?”
His expression melts into a soft smile. “Exactly. You felt the same way about Quinn?”
I nod.
He looks down. “I thought no woman would ever measure up to you, but Angel does. In so many ways, she’s just like you, except for the fact that she actually wants to jump my bones on the regular. I don’t know that I deserve someone as sweet as she is, but I’m sure as hell going to try to make her happy.”
I hug him. “I’ve known spotlights that beam less than your girlfriend. Trust me: You’re knocking this boyfriend thing out of the park.”
We sway to the music for a few minutes, and I know he’s made up his mind about going back to L.A. with her. I’m happy for him, but it doesn’t mean I don’t already miss him.
“Is there a way for me to go with Angel and still stay here with you?” he asks, his voice low.
“No, but that’s okay. It doesn’t matter if life leads us down different paths. We’ll always come back together. You’re my bestie, Josh. Now and forever. No amount of miles between us will ever change that.”
We dance in silence for a while, and when the song finishes, Angel and Liam appear next to us. Judging from their expressions, they’ve just had a conversation similar to ours. Liam’s decided to spend most of his time in New York from now on. I’m thrilled about it, but I have no doubt Angel is going to miss him.
When the next song starts, we share a group hug and sway in unison. It might be the last time we’re all together like this for a while, and we need to make the most of every moment.
The morning after the wedding, I open my eyes to find Liam already awake. He’s sitting up against the headboard in just his underwear, looking ridiculously sexy in his new glasses as he frowns at the book in front of him. I smile when I see what he’s reading. The Outsiders. It was one of my favorite books when I was growing up. When I first read it, I loved it so much I bought a copy for Ethan. He ended up loving it every bit as much as I did, maybe even more. So when Liam told me he wanted to test out his new dyslexia-busting, high-tech glasses by reading a book for the first time in his life, I thought it only fitting to buy him a copy. Easy to read and short enough to not give him a headache, it’s the perfect introduction to the world of classic literature.
“Hey,” I say, my voice husky with sleep.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” He leans down for a soft kiss. “Just so you know, I’ve been sporting the world’s most painful boner for the past half hour and I plan to fuck you to within an inch of your life very soon, but I need to see what happens in this scene first. The Socs have just cornered Ponyboy and Johnny in the park, and if either of them gets murdered, I swear to God I’m going to launch this book off the top of the Empire State.”
I glance at the clock. It’s only 7.30 a.m. “How long have you been awake?”
“A couple of hours. Worked out. Showered. Now I’m reading. Shush.”
I smile and watch as his eyes scan the page. It’s hard to believe that this is the same man who used to avoid looking at the printed word as much as possible. His new glasses have dark rims, and the lenses glow with faint light. The difference they’ve made in his life has been immediate and remarkable. I love watching him read. I mean, any man who reads is sexy, but Liam reading is off-the-charts hot.
I move over and kiss his shoulder. “You’re enjoying it?”
“Sssh. They’re shoving Ponyboy’s head into the fountain. They’re going to kill him, aren’t they? Goddamn rich, entitled assholes.”
I kiss his shoulder again, and this time I add a flick of tongue.
He sucks in a sharp breath. “Hey. I’m trying to concentrate here. You’re making that impossible.”
“I’ll save you the time. They kill Ponyboy and everyone’s sad. The end.”